What is a Hurricane?

9/5/2019 (Permalink)

What is a hurricane?

A hurricane is a huge storm! It can be up to 600 miles across and have strong winds spiraling inward and upward at speeds of 75 to 200 mph. Each hurricane usually lasts for over a week, moving 10-20 miles per hour over the open ocean. Hurricanes gather heat and energy through contact with warm ocean waters. Evaporation from the seawater increases their power. Hurricanes rotate in a counter-clockwise direction around an "eye" in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere. The center of the storm or "eye" is the calmest part. It has only light winds and fair weather. When they come onto land, the heavy rain, strong winds and large waves can damage buildings, trees and cars.

During a hurricane;

• Stay away from low-lying and flood prone areas.
• Always stay indoors during a hurricane, because strong winds will blow things around.
• Leave mobile homes and to go to a shelter.
• If your home isn’t on higher ground, go to a shelter.
• If emergency managers say to evacuate, then do so immediately.

After a hurricane;

• Stay indoors until it is safe to come out.
• Check for injured or trapped people, without putting yourself in danger.
• Watch out for flooding which can happen after a hurricane.
• Do not attempt to drive in flooding water.
• Stay away from standing water. It may be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines.
• Don’t drink tap water until officials say its safe to do so.

https://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-safety-hurricane.htm

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